My Top Christmas Movies

Here are my top eight Christmas movies of all-time...that I've seen, that is.

8. Elf - I'm not a huge Will Ferrell fan.  This is one of his movies I can actually sit through.  I think it's because I get to watch a full-grown man wear tights and act like an idiotic child.  I love how oblivious he is.  I love his affinity for sweets.  I love that he had no idea he wasn't an elf.  "Bye, Buddy.  Hope you find your dad."

7. All that Claymation Stuff - They all blur together.  I have no idea which movie is which, and who is supposed to be where.  I will admit that they are classics, although not high up on my list.  I do love Herbie, the elf who wants something more for himself.  Wait, you mean he doesn't want to work in what would be a sweat shop were it not for the frigid North pole temperatures?  "I want to be a dentist."

6. Home Alone - Come on, who didn't want to be Kevin McAllister when they were a kid?  Everyone wanted to boobie trap their house with toys, tools, and the tarantula they didn't have.  I mean, sure, the kid was a total jerk to his family, but it worked out in the end.  "This house is so full of people it makes me sick. When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone."

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original animated version - the Jim Carrey version is a disgrace to Theodore Giesel) - Good old Dr. Suess.  This movie has it all: a villain who has a change (and growth) of heart, lots of Christmas cheer, and roast beast.  One of the best things about this movie is watching how he actually steals Christmas.  I mean, nothing really makes sense.  He rolls a bunch of stuff up in a rug and is then able to just pick it up?  Classic, nonetheless.  "It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!"

4. Charlie Brown Christmas - My dad would have this one at the pinnacle of his list.  It might be his favorite movie ever, Christmas label aside.  The message at the end of the movie is what Christmas is truly about.  Linus sums it all up, even if he still carries a blanket.  It's all about Christ, hence the name of the holiday.  I love that Charles Schultz made this movie.  I love that it is still played on TV.  "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - Normally I am not a fan of films where nothing can go right.  Meet the Parents made me want to climb inside the TV and punch people.  However, Christmas Vacation breaks that mold for me.  It's just hilarious.  There is something about Chevy Chase getting to the end of his rope and snapping that just says, "Hey, it's Christmas."  And who doesn't love seeing a cat burned into the carpet?  "Hey look, kids. A deer."

2. A Christmas Story - Yeah, some scenes appear to be on drugs, but this is the classic Christmas movie.  Find me someone who doesn't know at least one line from this movie.  Peter Billingsley's portrayal of a boy longing for a gift was spot on.  The narrator's voice is awesome.  And, of course, there's a giant pink bunny suit.  "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

1. The Santa Claus - Okay, you may have stopped reading when you saw A Christmas Story at #2, but this movie is great to me.  I remember watching it as a kid and loving it.  Every year, ABC would play it on December 1st, and that was the Christmas kickoff for me.  I still watch it on every December 1st.  Eric Lloyd as Charlie is adorable.  Tim Allen's jabs at Judge Meinhold are great.  And, of course, it has a nice message about believing.  "Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist."